


Run Baby Run

by silkspectre



Category: Ready or Not (2019)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Blood and Gore, Character Study, F/M, Suicidal Thoughts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-29
Updated: 2020-05-04
Packaged: 2021-02-28 00:00:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,952
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22954477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silkspectre/pseuds/silkspectre
Summary: Daniel wants to drown his sorrows and a Grace just wants to survive the night.
Relationships: Daniel Le Domas/Grace Le Domas
Comments: 10
Kudos: 94





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So I tweaked and changed some stuff. This is gonna be multi chaptered but not very many.

_‘I always dreamed the boy I loved would come along_  
_And he'd be tall and handsome rich and strong_  
_But now that boy I love has come to me_  
_But he sure ain't the way I thought he'd be’_

_The Crystals - He’s Sure The Boy I Love_

The wedding reception was a cosy affair. Held in one of the myriad rooms of the Le Domas estate it mostly included close family friends, the family themselves and Grace. Nestled in the corner with a glass of bourbon and a look of contempt Daniel Le Domas observed the revelry. Every time he caught the sight of Grace's wide smile and heard her laugh ring through his ears the knot in his stomach tightened. He'd held off drinking so much before the ceremony, trying to at least not ruin his brother's big day. But as he watched the vows and the exchanging of rings Daniel's mind churned ceaselessly.  
Daniel had sequestered all of his worst nights into bottles. If he kept them instead of throwing them in the trash he would have an impressive collection. He had begun to drink more and more as the wedding date drew closer. The pit in his stomach deepened.

The day Alex had announced that he would propose to Grace was a dark one. Daniel spoke to his younger brother often over the phone, hearing his happy voice delivering the news like it wasn't a stab in the gut.  
It was childish, he knew, to expect their childhood pact to stay unmarried to actually be taken seriously in their adulthood. But he had upheld his pact, Daniel Le Domas had only ever had short-term girlfriends. His latest, Charity, had been dead set on a marriage. She'd asked over and over, leaving subtle hints at first until their relationship devolved into screaming at each other over dinner. Daniel had held fast, even after he told Charity what happened after weddings in his family. She hadn't even blinked as she insisted that still wanted to join the family.

Daniel couldn't take it. He broke up with her, resuming his daily work routine and sounding out everything else in his life with alcohol. Alex was dating Grace but he never said anything about marrying her. Daniel was naive, he realized that as the happy couple spun in front of him. His mother whooped and cheered, his father shared a loving gaze at the passing maid. Emilie, his sister, had yet to arrive with her husband Fitch and their kids. Two boys. Like Daniel and Alex. He suddenly felt sick, and excused himself, stumbling as he headed for the bathroom.

He didn't throw up, he just wretched and gulped some water down. Splashed his face, stared into the mirror and wondered how much he could take. He could remember pressing the barrel of a hunting rifle under his chin, feeling it anchor him as he shut his eyes. How many times he had cried and wished he had the strength to put an end to his putrid existence. Until the tears just couldn't come anymore, until he was numb.  
A knock on the bathroom door jolted him back out of his thoughts. He exited and there was Grace, already fishing a cigarette out of her purse.

‘'There's a balcony you can use. It's better than hanging out of the window.’’ Daniel took the cigarette box, taking two and leading her out on the second floor balcony. The rolling countryside sprawled out into the darkness. They both smoked in silence for a moment, Daniel watching Grace roll her shoulders and tilt her head back as smoke drifted from her.

‘'So, what did you think of the ceremony?’’ she asked.  
‘'Well it sure was a wedding.’’ Daniel caught her smiling.  
‘'Wow that good?’’ Grace snorted, and Daniel laughed at that. It felt good. ‘'For what it's worth I am really stoked to join your family.''

His chest tightened, and he could tell that his smile had quickly vanished because Grace’s own smile faded. ‘’You're better than us, Grace.’’ He leaned against the balcony railing, flicking his cigarette into the perfectly manicured lawn below.

‘’Is that so? I gotta say you have a really weird way of making a girl feel special.'' Grace stubbed out her cigarette into a nearby ashtray, wondering why Daniel hadn't done the same. She caught his gaze, searching for some readable emotion but he just stared blankly back at her.

‘'What if I told you something bad is gonna happen if you stay?’’ His voice was devoid of emotion just lile his expression.

‘’I would ask what you think is gonna happen.’’ Grace's brow furrowed. Daniel opened his mouth to reply, but his brother also stepped out onto the balcony.  
‘’Hey, gimme one of those, Mrs. Le Domas.'' Alex wound an arm around his new wife's waist, and Grace quickly gave him cigarette and lit it. Daniel sighed, returning back into the house. Portraits lined the walls and stared down at him. He walked over to one of his grandfather and flipped it off before he headed to the study.

Daniel sat by the fire until he was summoned for midnight ‘game'. He took his time, pouring out another drink and taking it downstairs, ice cubes clinking as he went. His sister had arrived, he barely acknowledged her as he took his seat. The moment he had been dreading had arrived and there was no way to get off of the rollercoaster. When the hide and seek card was pulled, Daniel couldn't hide his devastated expression.  
No one had believed that misfortune would truly befall Alex’s new bride. The Le Domas family were out of shape due to years of resting on their laurels. Grace was fire and brimstone, but in those moments when she thought it was still a game Daniel wondered if she was strong enough. He knew that he wasn’t strong enough to save her, but as he looked around and saw Alex’s pained, stricken expression Daniel hoped that he would be the one to save her.

Grace gleefully hid as her new family gathered weapons to slaughter her. Daniel was thinking of how good another glass of whiskey would taste, how he wanted to lay down and submerge himself beneath the amber liquid in that bottle he’d already drained in his father’s study.  
They lined up, the Le Domas, and with a gun in his hands and a bored look on his face Daniel could remember a childhood friend affectionately called him Daniel Le Dumbass. It was the kind of thing he thought would make Grace laugh, and hoped that he would be alive to tell her. They left the weapons room and started looking for her, but Daniel was busy thinking about his drink.  
There were a few muted yells, and then Emilie shot a maid and Daniel stared into the gaping hole in her head wondering what he was doing. Why he was still alive. Why their family’s survival was so important. And those thoughts deepened as he helped carry the maid to the goat pit. He didn’t want to look down because he had done it before. The man that he had helped to find and kill lay rotting down there, body slumped and crossbow bolts still embedded in his chest.

Daniel had returned night after night to look into the pit after his aunt’s wedding. He had prayed, shameful as it was to their family to ask for divine intervention. Prayed for his mistake to be undone, for life to be breathed back into his uncle’s corpse. Instead the corpse’s head turned as his neck rotted, a hideous smile winking up at Daniel as rats began to gnaw the flesh of his mouth leaving teeth exposed.

He needed a drink.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grace fights to survive with Daniel by her side.

The study was as inviting as always, and Daniel felt irritated as his thirst gnawed at him. He entered the study, shifting the weight of the gun and turning to see Grace by the door, her eyes crazed with fear.

He looked at her wild, fearful eyes and turned to get two glasses. He set them on the pool table, sighing heavily.  
‘’Daniel I need help. They are going to kill me. I can’t...I can’t do this.’’ Grace looked into his eyes, and Daniel offered her a glass of whiskey and moved to lock the door. He pocketed the key, sipping his drink. 

‘’You know what, I was just thinking I remembered something you would get a kick out of. Right as we were loading up on the guns we are supposed to kill you with. Pretty funny, right?’’ Daniel saw Grace’s eyes dart to the gun on the pool table. ‘’Ah, yeah, no I’m not gonna kill you. I have a favour to ask, though.’’ Daniel finished his whiskey, and so did Grace with a shudder. 

‘’This is fucked, Daniel. How can you be so calm? They are going to kill me.’’ Grace grabbed a hold of his arm, and Daniel felt embarrassed. He was taking it too lightly, but only because he could barely feel a thing. Maybe it was shock, maybe it was the same old depths of despair.

‘’Take my gun. There’s a service corridor you can use. I’ll find Alex and tell him you’re there.’’ Daniel picked the gun up to hand it over, but Grace didn’t let go of him.  
‘’Stay with me, please.’’ Her wide, haunted eyes convinced him quicker than he would have thought. In another life maybe he would have hesitated, but he was done with this one and if he could go out helping to burn down his fucked-up family, Daniel could die a happy man. 

‘’Okay. Let’s go.’’ They left the study, Daniel peering out first before leading Grace out. He moved her in front of him so nobody could sneak up behind and surprise them. 

‘’Alex is gonna open the kitchen door locks. He told me to use one of the doors in the servants corridor but I didn’t know which one.’’Grace whispered quickly, following Daniel as he headed towards the kitchen with her. They took advantage of corners, the behemoth house seemed more claustrophobic than it ever should. Grace kept her hand tight around his wrist, and it anchored his focus. He was doing this for her and Alex. So they could have what he couldn’t have. 

Daniel entered the kitchen first, seeing the red light of the door still on, and he could hear someone coming. Probably Stevens, since he was the only one who used the kitchen and the other maids were probably in hiding.

Grace crouched to hide behind the counter, holding a hand up for Daniel to join her. He shook his head, moving to open the fridge and peer inside. A bottle of white wine would do, he grabbed it and pretended to look for a glass whilst he waited for Stevens to appear.  
It didn’t take long, the butler eyed him with surprise, moving to fill up a kettle before placing it on the stove. Daniel cast a weary glance, filling up his glass and taking a long drink. He offered some to Grace while Stevens’ back was turned and she shook her head. 

When the door lock clicked open, Stevens was surprised. He looked over to Daniel, who stared back at him.  
‘’Mister Le Domas, I believe you should be on your way.’’ The butler’s eyes stayed on him. Daniel shrugged,  
‘’They can handle it I’m sure.’’ He felt the gun strap heavy on his shoulder, reminding him that he could blow Stevens away and be done with it. But he didn’t want another dead man on his conscience. 

‘’Very well.’’ Stevens picked up his tea tray, taking one last look before he hurried from the room. Daniel moved quickly, helping Grace up and pulling her out of the newly unlocked backdoor. The night swallowed them both, he led her to the goat barn so they could figure out how they would get off the premises. 

Again the maw of the goat pit greeted him. Grace moved to look down, sucking in a breath of surprise before Georgie stepped out of the darkness. Daniel moved in front of Grace, feeling that hand again on his wrist. The small boy blinked at both of them, a gun clasped large in his tiny hands. He lifted the gun and Daniel sucked in a deep breath. 

‘’Georgie, go back to your room.’’ Daniel slowly began lowering his shoulder so the strap for the gun began moving down. He felt Grace take ahold of the barrel, her other hand still at his wrist. 

‘’Why aren’t you playing the game, Uncle Dan?’’ Georgie didn’t lower the gun, his mouth pulling into a confused frown as his eyebrows knitted in unison. 

‘’I’m not killing anyone tonight and neither are you, Georgie.’’ Daniel felt Grace take the full weight of the gun in both hands behind him. If he was shot, she could fire back. She would be okay if he was shot. Daniel took a step closer to the boy, making sure Grace was still covered. 

‘’I wanna shoot her. She’s bad. Gonna get us all killed - I heard grandpa say.’’ Georgie pulled back the hammer clumsily, and Daniel felt his blood chill. The kid was enjoying it. 

‘’Hey, you little shit, put the fucking gun down. Now.’’ Daniel’s voice raised. Georgie pointed and pulled the trigger, aiming for Grace over Daniel’s shoulder but just shooting his uncle, instead. Daniel groaned loudly in pain, clutching his shoulder as Grace leapt forward, smashing the butt of the gun against Georgie’s head before he could reload and take another shot. 

‘’Holy shit Daniel.’’ Grace’s wide eyes glinted, she moved quickly to help peel his blazer off of his shoulder, breath catching as she saw the blood pooling through his blue shirt. 

‘’Fuckin’ kids.’’ Daniel gritted his teeth as Grace ripped her wedding gown, using the sleeve as a bandage. ‘’Thanks.’’ He stepped back slightly, feeling light-headed as the adrenaline continued to whirl through him. The pain would only get worse. He wished he had taken the bottle of white wine from the kitchen with him.

‘’What do we do now? Alex hasn’t showed up.’’ Grace offered Daniel the gun, and he shook his head.  
‘’You hold it. I can’t aim and fire now with my shoulder like this. You know how to take the safety off right?’’ He moved to show her, and Grace watched and repeated. ‘’As for aiming, I have no fucking idea. Let’s go.’’ Daniel left his blazer there in the barn, again walking to cover Grace as they stayed within a thicket of trees. 

An arrow soared past, embedding itself in a nearby tree. Grace let out a cry, and they began to run. Daniel turned to see his mother on the patio, with a bow in her hands. Of course she had been aiming for Grace, but could have hit her son. Daniel swore he saw her laugh as they ran, out of sight towards the gate. There was an opening, but he wouldn’t fit through. Grace shook her head when he suggested she go and he catch up. His mother would arrive soon with the cavalry, so he tugged her towards the garages. 

Stevens was the last person Daniel was expecting to see racing across the lawn in a shiny black Audi, beams blinding as he sped towards them. Daniel tried to zigzag, but ultimately Stevens hit him. It wasn’t hard, just enough to knock him down. He heard Grace screaming his name, feeling the wet grass soaking his back through his shirt. 

Daniel pulled himself up, feeling his leg flare with pain in protest. He stumbled, seeing Grace choking Stevens with her other wedding dress sleeve. He moved to pull her away, Grace delivering a final kick to Stevens’ still body. Grace got behind the wheel, and he sat beside her in the front as she aimed the car at the gate entrance. 

‘’Buckle up.’’ He reminded, not seeing Stevens at his window until it was too late. The butler broke the passenger side window, shards of glass flying at Daniel. And a gun pointed at Grace, sending a tranquilliser into her shoulder. Daniel moved, trying to get out before he too felt a dart hit his thigh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much to everyone who has left kudos!


	3. Chapter 3

Daniel embraced the depths of unconsciousness. It was reprieve from the pain and the adrenaline that had been thundering through his veins. When he swam up into consciousness every ache attacked, and he was hyper-aware of the bindings someone had wrapped around him.  
They hadn’t covered his mouth, as the room spun, he felt his stomach pitch, and very ungraciously he vomited onto the polished parquet floor. He could hear yelling, arguing from somewhere nearby. The door to the room he recognised as the study opened, and Alex came in.  
His little brother looked troubled, but hardly seemed to be in a hurry. Daniel frowned, trying to move his wrists and feeling rope cut into them.  
‘’You really chose her over all of us. Over your own brother.’’ Alex’s voice cloyed with tears, he crouched in front of Daniel so they could be eye to eye.  
‘’I did it for you. Alex, where is Grace?’’ Daniel’s voice felt far away to him. Like someone else who sounded exactly like him.  
‘’She’s none of your concern now. After this is all over, I’ll come back. Dad wants me to take over the company.’’ Alex looked happy; Daniel couldn’t believe it.  
‘’What about your wife?’’ Daniel frowned, still trying to focus.  
‘‘I love her. I love Grace but...Daniel c’mon. The whole family will die if she does; Mom, Dad and Emilie...One life isn’t worth more than a whole family.’’ Alex squeezed Daniel’s wounded shoulder, causing pain to sear through it. It helped ground him, Daniel swam up from the realm of fog.  
‘’We do the ritual and we all live. You have to join in - and after all of this it will all be a bad dream.’’ Alex stood, moving to grab a knife. ‘’You need to get the wine ready for the ritual. You do this right and you’ll get an executive position in the company.’’  
Daniel’s binds were cut, and he stood shakily, trying to understand what was happening. Alex was not the brother he thought he was. Wasn’t the good guy Daniel had believed him to be. It pissed him off, but he could be angry later. For now, he had to prepare the wine, and he knew what he had to do.

  
Diligently he filled the goblet with hydrochloric acid and wine, surprised that no one looked in on him as he made the cocktail. They trusted that he would come back to the fold, that he would play his part. When he saw Grace tied to the table, he felt his blood turn to ice.  
If this didn’t work, she was dead, and he wouldn’t survive. Another death on his conscience would be the final nail in his coffin. Maybe they would throw him in the goat pit, too.

  
Stevens was missing in action, Daniel pulled his robe on and handed the goblet to his father, then took his place around the table. Grace thrashed, eyes pleading him, and he silently stared back. He couldn’t blow it, couldn’t show weakness. He pretended to sip the wine, and when his father began vomiting Daniel moved to cut Grace’s binds with the knife meant for her heart. Before they left the room, he snatched Fitch’s phone from his pocket, hoping there wasn’t a code locking it.  
Daniel pulled the gag off Grace once they were moving, heading this time back towards the garages through the house. He heard a loud crash, and a burst of what sounded like shotgun fire. As they turned a corner, Daniel spotted Stevens toting a gun, a wide toothy grin glinting in the low light. Daniel turned the corner and had an idea.

  
‘’Grace, the study.’’ He took her arm, feeling his knee almost give way as he tried to turn them quickly towards the place where he had first found her. Or she had found him. It wasn’t far, and Stevens would be searching other rooms for them in the meantime. Daniel saw the candlesticks, the mood lighting that his father had insisted on for the evening. The theatrics even in times of unease would have made him laugh, but he had other things to do.  
‘’What – what are we doing here?’’ Grace was clutching his arm.  
‘’Candles burn. Burn it all down.’’ Daniel offered a weak smile.  
‘’And how do we get out once this place goes up in flames?’’ Grace questioned.  
‘’We keep heading to the garage. Service tunnel is an option, we’ll have to try and keep out of sight until we get to the garage.’’ Daniel took a breath, and kicked one of the gothic candle holders over, sending wax spraying across the floor and watching as the drapes caught fire. The whole room was a wood panel, it wouldn’t take long for it to spread. Grace pulled him towards the door, and they skittered out into the hallway, Daniel let her go ahead while he struggled to keep up. The tranquilliser wasn’t staving off the pain of being hit by that car.  
He heard Stevens before he turned to look back on him. The butler aimed, and a section of wood panel exploded, sending splinters flying across. Daniel laid a hand on Grace’s back, forcing her forward while he grabbed the ornate bust of his grandfather that sat in a little alcove around the corner. He waited, hearing Stevens’ shoes slap all the way up to the turning, before he sent the bust hurting into his face, smashing it to pieces. Stevens howled, dropping the shotgun which Daniel quickly lunged for. He slipped, grabbing the gun but crashing to the floor with the barrel pointed upwards. Stevens snarled, pitching forward and Daniel pulled the trigger.  
The shot was deafening, with the resulting carnage painted around and on him. Daniel caught sight of brain fragments bubbling as Steven’s jaw opened and shut like a fish on dry land. He shifted backwards, feeling shards of the bust dig into his back but not caring. He needed to move and managed to get away just as Stevens sagged forwards, his exposed skull chalk white amidst the crimson viscera as his body slumped to the floor.  
Grace moved to help him back up, hooking her arms under his and heaving. Daniel used his legs, even though pain greeted him again. They ducked into a guest room, Grace frantically tracing the wall to find a passageway while Daniel caught his breath, feeling his chest tighten. He’d killed someone. It wasn’t like before; he had pulled the trigger.  
He didn’t realize he was hyperventilating until Grace took his chin, making him look down at her. She looked scared, wide eyes as fearful as when they first came together in the study at the beginning of the ‘game’.

  
‘’Daniel, he was going to kill us. You saved us. Please, we have to go. We have to go.’’ Grace forced the words out, her lips pressing together after. She needed him to not fall apart.  
‘’I did it for you. I’m doing this for you. It was for Alex…I thought he…Grace I’m so fucking sorry.’’ Daniel took her hand, squeezing it.  
‘’You’re a good guy, Daniel.’’ She squeezed his hand back, a weak smile crossing her lips. Daniel moved, opening the wardrobe to show Grace the door embedded inside. ‘’Fucking rich people.’’ Grace deadpanned, climbing inside and through the door. Daniel laughed, following her.

The next room was almost the same, Daniel found the next door and they entered another service hall. He wondered where his family was and guessed that they had fanned out with their respective weapons. He was out of his depth, injured and barely keeping it together while they forged deeper into the bowels of the mansion. Every loud noise just made him jolt, while Grace kept pulling him forward.  
Daniel knew that if the curse was real his death would hurt her, and he was sorry for that. There probably wasn’t much time now before sunrise, and then they would find out what was true or false.  
The service hall stopped before it hit the other end of the mansion. Carefully, Daniel inched the door at the end of the hallway open, checking to see that no one was lurking. He didn’t see anything, slowly moving to check if there were any rooms they could duck into. There was a laundry room, and Daniel held the door open for Grace, his stomach dropping when he heard someone approaching.  
He moved quickly, trying to make as little noise as possible as he joined Grace. He held a finger to his lips, moving to pull some clothing out of a laundry bin, gesturing for Grace to get inside. She did, frowning as he covered her up with the laundry. ‘’Daniel, Daniel you need to hide too.’’  
‘’I will, I’ll find somewhere. Don’t come out until I say so.’’ He finished covering her with the clothes, pressing his ear to the door to try and hear whoever was about to approach. He couldn’t, but also didn’t want to lose visibility and potentially not be there to stop them from finding Grace.  
So, he left the room.  
Daniel saw his mother before she saw him, and before he could even lift his hands, she raised the same bow she had almost hit him with earlier. ‘’Oh Daniel, is this anyway to treat your mom? You’re worrying me to death with this stunt you’re pullin’.’ the southern twang in her voice made the words sound affable.  
‘’I know Alex is your favourite, so anything I say is kind of pointless. And that’s okay – I wanted to save him, too. But you’re all fucked. Having to kill people in order to welcome someone new into the family? It’s fucked.’’ Daniel backed up slightly, hoping to throw his mother off.  
‘’Every family has secrets. And Daniel I really appreciate the nihilism, but you never complained when the money from what we do funded your college degree. Every single good thing that ever happened, every opportunity is because of Le Bail’s pact. As much as you hate it now, you’ve been benefiting from it for your entire life. Why throw it all away now?’’ Becky Le Domas kept the bow aimed at her son for long enough to tell him that she wasn’t backing down.  
‘’You’re right. So shoot me with an arrow, then. You have Alex, you might find Grace before sunrise. Kill me.’’ Daniel moved closer, and Becky tightened her grip on the bow. Her eyes squinted, immaculate eyeshadow appearing slightly goolish in the low light.  
‘’Just come back to us Daniel.’’ Becky moved back.  
‘’Not gonna happen, mom. I appreciate the hesitancy.’’ Daniel lunged, feeling something strike his wounded shoulder. Pain greeted him again, and this time it was blinding enough to send him to his knees. Daniel could hear Becky yelling for the others, and when he looked he could see blood pooling through his shirt again. He tried to get up, feeling light-headed.

‘’Fucking traitorous little worm.’’ Tony looked down on his son once he arrived, and delivered a frustrated kick to his ribs. Daniel groaned, trying to get up again and receiving another kick, this time from Fitch, who then moved to grab his legs.  
‘’Where is Grace? Where did she go?’’ Daniel heard Alex ask, and didn’t say a word. He was so tired.  
‘’Tell us where she is, Daniel. For my boys. Please we have to do this.’’ Emilie begged, taking a long sniff after her words.  
‘’Fuck you.’’ Daniel laughed, then groaned as Tony and Fitch dropped him in unison.  
‘’I say we just kill him. Maybe if we sacrifice him Le Bail will be cool.’’ Fitch glared. Emilie let out a sob, clutching her husband’s arm.  
‘’Search all the rooms. She can’t be that far. We’ll take Daniel to the dining room.’’ Becky moved to replace Fitch at his legs, leaving her bow on the ground. Tony took Daniel’s shoulders, bearing his weight as they jauntily carried him. Emilie followed, still begging him to tell her where Grace was hidden.

‘’We don’t have much time. Gotta make this quick.’’ Alex pushed up his shirt sleeves, looking around. ‘’Did my mom go in any of the other rooms?’’ he pushed open the nearest door, finding it filled with old antiques. Most of it was garbage, but his father insisted on keeping it.  
The next room was similar, and there was a utility closet filled with car maintenance materials for the garage. Polish with buffers, oils and other things Alex didn’t know anything about.  
The last room was the laundry room. His first thought was to check the machines, opening the doors and peering in. Then the laundry chute, and finally the laundry bin.  
Grace had tried to leave the laundry room, she’d inched the door open and had seen Becky, had heard the commotion and been hidden silently. When she heard Becky call for the others, she knew that they would come and find her. She’d been trying to prepare for it, waiting to be dragged out of the laundry bin. When she was dragged out by Alex, Grace felt the same heartbreak she had when she realized that he was willing to sacrifice her.  
‘’You’re so fucking selfish.’’ Alex sighed, yanking her to her feet. ‘’Having my brother take the fall for you? Trying to kill my whole family? Selfish.’’  
Grace kept her mouth shut, she seethed silently as they forced her along. Really, she had felt a little bit sorry for the kids until Georgie had shot Daniel. She had relished knocking him out.  
She tried to drag her feet, buy some time and try and figure out some way to break free. But nothing really stuck, she was tired and in shock. They just pushed her more, with Fitch probably intentionally making her smack her head as he pushed her through a doorway. The estate was labyrinthine, but Grace could see light slowly coming through the windows.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The end.

Grace dug her sneakered feet into the floor, hearing the soles of her yellow hi-tops squeaking. And her grunting with the effort as Alex still forced her forwards. ‘’You think you’re a good guy? You’re a fucking monster. First-’’ Grace fell, smacking against the polished marble floor. Fitch huffed, checking his phone as she laid there, feeling a pain in her chest. 

Alex pulled her up, one hand yanking her to her feet. 

‘’Grace, everything we had was real. It was beautiful. But it was a dream.’’ Alex forced her through into the room she had been tied down in before. Daniel was trying to get out of his binds, she could see him before she looked away. It just wasn’t enough, they had both tried their hardest. 

Grace felt the cold of the table on her back once again, and as they gathered she wondered if it was her fault. She had wanted this, she had asked for Alex to make a commitment. But she hadn’t cared about the money. She hadn’t even known Alex had any until he explained to her months into their short courtship. 

It wasn’t her fault. 

Alex wasn’t looking at her. Grace felt tears well up in her eyes. ‘’Please. Please don’t do this. I won’t tell anyone I swear.’’ The tears slid down the sides of her face before pooling on the polished table surface with no hand to wipe them away. Alex glanced at her for a moment before looking away again. Grace felt laughter bubble up, uncontrollable enough to make her shake. ‘’Fucking hooded robes. You look like such a dumbass...Domas....Le Dumbass.’’ the laughter came louder. She heard Daniel start laughing, too. They sounded insane. 

Someone gagged her, her muffled laughter eventually died down. Daniel had stopped laughing before she did. 

Grace shut her eyes as Alex raised the knife above his head, and just as he brought it down she moved, and the knife cut through her rope, instead. 

She leapt off the table, snatching the knife before Alex could grab it back. She cut her gag and pointed it at him first, screaming as the adrenaline pumped through her. She had almost died, and Grace didn’t know just how many times she had almost died that night, but it wasn’t something she was eager to get used to. 

She held the knife, not recognizing the noises that were coming out of herself. 

Daniel was awake, he was gagged now. One of his eyes was bruised shut. 

There was a gasp, and it wasn’t Grace.

Helene was pointing at the long window, screaming something about failing her master. Everyone seemed to tense, and then nothing. No apocalyptic scene, no demons winging themselves through doors and windows. Just the rich assholes who had hunted her all night staring at Grace, and her still with her small knife, braced for combat. 

Helene reared up to lift her axe, rushing at Grace. Instead of an axe lodging in her chest, Helene burst into a red mist. In the morning light it floated along with dust motes. The axe clattered to the parquet floor heavily. And then the panic began. Someone screaming, another person screaming. Grace moved to cut Daniel’s binds, helping him upwards. She took his hand, still holding the knife defensively in front of herself. 

Alex was eventually the last one left, having stood dumbstruck whilst his father ranted and raved before joining his wife in the red mist. Grace and Daniel stood staring at him until he walked over, falling to his knees and taking Grace’s dress skirt in his hands. ‘’Please baby, please don’t let this happen to me. Please Grace. I love you, you know that.’’ He tugged at the dress, and Grace moved back, handing the knife to Daniel and tugging her wedding ring off. 

‘’I want a divorce.’’ She threw the ring down at him, when it made contact Alex was no more. Just specs of blood on Grace’s already stained dress. She turned, realizing that Daniel was the last one. He wiped the knife off, throwing it into the fireplace. 

‘’You think they’ll gang up on me in hell? Just rush me at once and kick my ass?’’ He looked at Grace, noticing tears welling up in her eyes. 

‘’I don’t want you to go, Daniel.’’ Grace clutched his hand harder. A sudden flare of fire made them look towards the fireplace, and a figure flashed at the end of the table, raising a glass to them both before disappearing.

‘’Well, fuck.’’ they both said in unison after a beat. 

Whereas Grace had been distracted before, she could now begin to smell the burning wood. They’d all probably just thought it was the fireplace, but there was no mistaking the smoke that had begun to escape under the door. Daniel led her towards the door on the opposite side of the room, leading her out to what she recognized as the back lawn. The one she had stood on while she said her vows to Alex. 

The white chairs still stood, and Grace stopped when they hit the stairs, lowering herself down to sit on them. Sirens could be heard echoing somewhere close by. Daniel slowly sat beside her, groaning in pain as he did. Grace took his hand again, and they waited together. 


End file.
